Why did the US return to bombing Iran in the midst of peace deal talks?

2026-05-26 15:36:49Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Why did the US return to bombing Iran in the midst of peace deal talks?

The United States has carried out new strikes in southern Iran, targeting Iranian missile sites and ships that Washington said were trying to lay mines.

US Central Command said the strikes were carried out in “self-defense” and were intended to protect US troops from threats from Iranian forces. The attacks reportedly took place near Bandar Abbas, a strategic port city in southern Iran, near the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran, on the other hand, said it had shot down a US drone and shot down a fighter jet and another drone that Tehran said had entered Iranian airspace. The Revolutionary Guard warned that Iran has the “legitimate and certain” right to respond to any US violation of the ceasefire.

Despite the attacks, Washington says a deal with Iran remains possible. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said talks are continuing and the parties are negotiating the language of the initial document.

At the center of the discussions is a memorandum that provides for a 60-day extension of the ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and further negotiations on Iran's nuclear program.

Rubio stressed that the strait must remain open "one way or another," describing the current situation as illegal and unacceptable to the world.

Meanwhile, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei declared that the Middle East "will no longer serve as a shield for American bases," while accusing the US of losing its influence in the region.

Tensions between the US and Iran have been rising for months, following US and Israeli attacks on Iran in late February. Tehran responded with attacks on Israel and US allies in the Persian Gulf, as well as a virtual blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices soaring on global markets.


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